Gryffindor Lovebirds

(chapter twelve)

The week had gone by unbelievably fast. With all the difficult classes and homework, there was little time to be board and the days seemed to slip away. Hermione's sympathy, however went out to Harry and Ron. Both boys would have to deal with the academic stress as well as having to manage their Quidditch responsibilities. Harry was thrilled when McGonagall handed him back his prized firebolt and informed him that he was now the new Gryffindor team captain.

With the prospect and planning of the DA club, the trio had little time to worry about who the spy at Hogwarts was. By Friday, they had completely forgotten about it when Professor Jones asked Harry, Ron, and Hermione to come to her room after their classes to work out the final plans for the club and to make flyers.

"Ok," Hermione said with authority. She stood in front of two desks in which Harry and Ron sat listening to her intently, while Professor Jones listened in from her own desk only a few feet away. "Harry, your president of course, but since the club will be much larger this year you are going to need help so, Ron and I are going to be Vice-Presidents," Hermione finished.

"I am?" Ron asked with a lack on enthusiasm. He and Harry had appeared drained all day. Ron claimed that Harry ran them through a grueling quidditch practice.

"Yes Ron, you are, and I've decided that Ginny would do well as secretary. She will help out with minor details."

"Well, what are we going to do then?" Ron asked wearily indicating himself and Hermione.

"We'll, I've figured that since a lot of students are going to want to join, the DA room will get pretty full so it would be a good idea to have meetings three nights a week so the students can pick one night a week to show up, that way the classes are smaller," Hermione explained, but before she could finish Harry cut in.

"Hermione, I don't have the time or energy to teach a defense class three nights a week!" Harry said, frustrated. Hermione then held up her hands pleading for patience while she explained more in depth.

"That's where Ron and I come in. Harry, you will teach one night, Ron the second night, And I the third, or in any order that works best for you guys, is that ok?" Hermione asked. Harry just nodded and Ron offered her a lopsided frown.

"What's wrong Ron?" She asked with concern. He looked up at her and furrowed his brows. Before he spoke, Hermione noticed him blush a tad.

"Hermione, I don't think I can teach a class, I mean, I don't think I know enough and all those people would make me nervous," Ron explained quietly. He expected Hermione to scold him and tell him to suck it up, but instead she smiled kindly at him.

"You have nothing to worry about Ron, most of the students will be younger than you and you definitely know more than them, you know more then a lot of wizards your own age and older, so don't think you not qualified. And as for you being nervous…I've never seen Ron Weasley be shy, I think you'll do great. And don't forget you're a prefect if anyone steps out of line," She said with a wide grin, and Ron found himself grinning right back at her. She had made him feel much better, now he was going to be the best darn DA club teacher there was just to impress her.

Hermione loved when Ron smiled at her and found it suddenly hard to focus, but Hermione pulled her self together and let the smile fade and let her voice go back to a business tone.

"We…er…we also need to pick someone to be the treasurer of the DA club, who should it be?...Neville?" Hermione suggested a bit hesitantly.

To her surprise, Harry and Ron both looked at her incredulously for a second before they both burst out laughing. Hermione scowled at them and ordered them to stop laughing.

"Stop it! What's wrong with Neville?" Hermione asked angrily even though she could probably answer her own question.

They boys stopped laughing but looked as if they would start again if anything remotely funny happened.

"Sorry Hermione but, I don't think Neville is the greatest idea for that," Harry said apologetically.

Ron Slowed his breathing so he could speak properly and his cheeks were flushed from laughing.

"yeah, The boy can't even answer a question out loud in class with out almost fainting, how do you expect him to speak to a class and take charge," Ron said trying hard not to laugh.

Hermione sighed heavily. She knew he was right, not that she would say it out loud, but he was right. Hermione looked up at him defiantly.

"Well who do you suggest, Luna?" Hermione asked angrily. Now Ron's smile faded as Hermione goaded him into an argument.

"She'd be better than Neville!"

Hermione just seemed to grow angrier and she didn't even know why. She was suddenly just furious with Ron for no real reason, she just felt like yelling at him, letting all of her frustration over him out.

"You only say that because you know Luna fancies you!" Hermione accused bitterly.

Ron's mouth gaped open with shock and anger. "What!"

"Oh come on," Hermione said with disgusted mock. "She is always trying to be around you and is always starting friendly conversations with you. She obviously likes you and you know it, that's why you would pick her over Neville!"

Hermione and Ron didn't notice but Harry was looking at them with a bewildered stare, probably wondering how this argument was even possible.

"That's ridiculous! You just don't like her. You don't like her because she is just as smart as you and you see her as a threat!" Ron accused Hermione and her jaw dropped open and her eyes went wide in pain as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. However, before Hermione could come back with anything, Professor Jones stepped up to their desks and interrupted.

"You know," she started and the trio looked up at her. "I used to fight with my old boyfriend like that all the time. He would always be so flirty with all the girls and I hated it! I would accuse him of it all the time and he hated that. But you two should take my advice, it really is a silly argument, Hermione, I'm sure Ron doesn't give a hoot if this girl fancies him and Ron, you shouldn't tell your girlfriend that another woman is a threat in any way," Jones said seriously, looking deeply at the two as if she was waiting for them to make up. However, Ron and Hermione both stared at Professor Jones before taking a quick uncomfortable glance at each other and then back up at Jones who still appeared to be waiting.

"We… er…were not…I'm not his girlfriend," Hermione finally spoke quietly. Ron nodded in agreement.

Professor Jones's mouth went open and she blushed. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" She said with a quiet giggle. "I thought you two were an item, I mean you really act like it. I'm sorry," She said and quickly walked up to her desk, grabbed a small stack of papers and came back to where they three friends sat uncomfortably.

"These are the information flyers about the club. You'll need to go and talk to the teacher who is head of each house and ask them to post it in their common room," Jones explained and handed the papers to Hermione. Hermione took them in her hands and started to pack her things up.

"Let's go talk to each teacher and then we can go back to the common room," Hermione said quietly. The boys followed orders and the threesome left to go deliver papers first to McGonagall who happily obliged and then to Professor Sprout and Flickwick who also gladly offered their cooperation. The entire time they spent walking the halls of Hogwarts to teacher's offices; Hermione could only think about what Professor Jones had said about her and Ron. It also made her remember what Luna had said about them on the train. Did they really look and act like a couple? Merlin knows she wanted them to be! Maybe people just saw how obvious it was that she liked Ron. Hopefully that wasn't the case; she didn't want him ever to find out.

The more Hermione thought about their argument the more she saw how silly it really was to get so angry. She hadn't been that angry since their row over the summer. They hadn't had a fight since then except for little arguments like over whom the spy at Hogwarts was….Then it clicked.

"Snape!" Hermione said out loud with excitement. Harry and Ron looked at her strangely.

"Congratulations Hermione, You figured out who the last teacher we have to talk to is," Ron said sarcastically.

"Why are you so excited to go see Snape?" Harry asked. Hermione ignored Ron's comment and turned to Harry.

"I'm excited because this gives us the perfect opportunity to set our trap in motion, to find out if Snape is a death eater or not!" Hermione said enthusiastically.

"But Hermione, We don't even have a plan," Harry pointed out.

Hermione stopped walking and frowned at Harry.

"You two may have forgotten, but I have been giving it some thought," She said confidently. The boys gave her their full attention.

Hermione took a deep breath before she began to explain.

"I think the best way to go about setting up Snape is to get him to over hear something, something important enough that he would feel the need to tell either Voldemort himself or one of his followers," Hermione explained quietly.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

Hermione thought for a second.

"I've got it!" She smiled happily at her own brilliance.

"When we go in to talk to Snape at some point we'll let him over hear that Harry was secretly asked by an anonymous source to meet out side of the Cozy Chamomile Inn at the end of town on yarrow street in Hogsmead. Harry was asked to come alone, we'll say the person wants to give Harry something important that Voldemort is after and Harry is to take it...and tomorrow is Hogsmead weekend so we wont have to sneak out or anything."

"That's great!" Harry said. Ron smiled in agreement, "Snape will see that as a perfect opportunity to get Harry alone for Voldemort and get the "Important Thing' Snape is sure to tell him if he's a death eater!"

Hermione smiled; glad to know that her friends liked her plan. "Great, now all we have to do is talk about it in front of Snape and then follow through with the plan tomorrow," Hermione stated happily and the trio set out down the corridors to Snapes dark, cold, office.

Harry was first to the large wooden doors and opened them hesitantly. The Light from out side the office filled into the room as they walked through and they immediately spotted Sanpe at his desk looking up at them with a deep look of hatred.

The trio held their breaths as they approached his desk. Snape sneered at them and stood.

"The great Harry Potter and his sidekicks…to what do I owe this…pleasure," He uttered with evident disgust.

Hermione's grip on the last flyer tightened as she stepped up to his desk and held it out for him to take.

Snape only looked down at it with revulsion. "What is this?" He growled.

Hermione swallowed hard. "It's the defense against the dark arts club flyer…Professor Jones said she talked to you about it, sir," Hermione explained nervously.

Snape nodded grimly.

"You can post it if you want to," Harry said coldly. He wasn't very afraid of Snape, Harry only felt hatred towards him. "It's not that important."

It was important though, Hermione knew Harry only said that because none of them really wanted any Slytherins to join the club anyways.

Snape glared at Harry and finally took the paper from Hermione and waved a hand forcefully motioning them to leave his office.

At that moment, Hermione stepped down next to Harry and Ron and mouthed the words 'now'

"So Harry," Ron started. "That letter you got, was it from the Order?"

"I don't know," Harry said and the trio began to walk purposely slow out of Snape's dungeon to make sure he heard the whole conversation. Harry continued as they walked, "It just said to meet him alone out side of the Cozy Chamomile Inn tomorrow at noon. He said he was going to give me something important," Harry finished.

"Something You-Know-Who wants?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, something really valuable to him," Harry answered.

Hermione frowned realistically. "That sounds dangerous Harry; I don't think you should go."

And just as they left Snape's office Ron said "Of course he should."

They shut the door and waited until they were a few yards away before breaking into fits of comments on how they did and that the plan was sure to go through.

Harry, Ron and Hermione soon went back to the common room and the boys soon started playing chess while Hermione sat by the fire reading. The time approached nine o'clock and Hermione tiredly went over to where Ron and Harry were seated now playing with cards.

Hermione yawned and walked over to Ron's side.

"Ron," She said exhaustedly. Ron didn't look up at her; he was too focused on his cards.

"What?" He said

Hermione rolled her eyes "we have to go patrol the hallways, make sure no students are out," She explained.

Ron sighed and dropped his cards. "I hate being a prefect," he muttered and grudgingly stood up and threw his robes on that had the shinny prefect badge pinned to it.

Hermione and Ron tiredly started for the portrait hole as Harry announced he was going to bed. Ron waved an arm back letting Harry know that he heard him and then he and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole out in to the hall.

Ron and Hermione had wandered the halls for thirty minutes already and only had to tell two first year Hufflepuffs to get up to their common room. That was the only part Ron liked about duty; getting to boss the first years around.

He pleaded with Hermione to go back up to the common room so they could go to bed, but she insisted that they patrol the Slytherin hallways too because Malfoy was to lazy to do it himself.

As they walked down the Slytherin hallways Hermione and Ron discussed the plan for tomorrow to keep themselves awake. Just as they were about to turn a corner something yelled loudly and jumped out at them. Hermione instinctively moved closer to Ron who also instinctively wrapped his arms around her protectively.

When they saw who the culprit was however, they glared at him and released each other. It was Malfoy, who now walked up dangerously close to them and grinned evilly.

"Did I scare your mudblood girlfriend Weasel?" Draco asked coldly. Ron didn't respond.

Draco just eyed his two enemies as if scanning through the long list of insults he had in his head.

"You know Weasley, I thought that even YOU could do better than THAT," He said, indicating Hermione who just glared at him.

"You Jealous, Malfoy?" Ron asked with anger and Hermione's head shot up at Ron with shock, he didn't look back at her, he only stared hard and Malfoy, challenging him. Hermione looked back down to watch the interaction.

"Jealous of what? That?" He spat at Hermione.

Ron nodded. "I don't see you with a girlfriend"

"Granger is the last girl at this school I would ever go for," Draco said defensively.

"The only reason you make fun of her Malfoy, is because you're just upset because you know you can never have Hermione!" Ron shouted.

Draco looked disgusted and speechless at once. "You can keep her Weasley, I wouldn't touch Granger with a ten foot broomstick," Draco said with disgust.

"Good," Ron growled. "Because Hermione is ten times better than every girl at this school and you can't have her," He hissed and Draco gave one last sneer at the two of them before leaving angrily.

Ron and Hermione were silent for a few seconds until Hermione couldn't handle it. She smiled brightly and looked up at Ron.

"Thank you…that was really sweet of you, I mean, I know you just made it up to get rid of Malfoy and all but still it-" Hermione was cut off.

"What?" Ron asked with astonishment in his tone. "You think I made that up?" Ron asked Hermione and she could tell he was Serious. Her heart started to pound hard and she blushed furiously.

"Well, yeah, you were just trying to tick Draco off. I mean come on, ten times better then every girl at the school," Hermione repeated Ron's Words with laughter, "that's good."

Ron suddenly moved closer to her not smiling, but looking unusually serious and it scared Hermione to death as her eyes meet his.

"You may be unbearably confident when it comes to school Hermione, but everything else…" His words faded and he looked at her sadly.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Her mind suddenly started racing. 'What does that mean? 'She thought frantically. She saw Ron swallow.

"Hermione, There aren't many girls here who are incredibly smart, unbelievably kind, and…" Ron's words faded again and Hermione's eyes were locked on his. She had barely noticed how close they were now standing to each other.

"And really beautiful," He finished with a whisper.

Hermione wasn't thinking about anything else now. She was suddenly being drawn closer to him and she couldn't stop. Slowly their faces inched closer and closer until Hermione felt Ron's warm, sweet breath on her lips and she instinctively closed her eyes waiting for his lips to meet hers. And just as she felt the kiss nearing-

"How charming," said a cold, drawling voice. Hermione and Ron jumped apart so fast and so far apart that it looked like they had burnt each other. Snape grinned wickedly at them.

"Two Gryffindor lovebirds…and prefects, I should inform Dumbledore of the way you two are abusing your power," Snape threatened and smiled again as if enjoying seeing the two teenagers suffer with embarrassment and fear of loosing their prefect badges.

After an awkward silence, "Get to you common room before I give you both detentions," Snape growled and Ron and Hermione quickly ran back to their common room with out stopping. Once inside Hermione quietly said goodnight and rushed up to her dormitory. Ron sighed deeply as he watched her walk away and then he slowly trudged off up to his own dormitory.

"Damn Snape," He muttered.

I hope you liked it, please keep reading and reviewing.